Good day dear friends.
Please remember in your prayers the family of Virginia Kinsey, a six-year resident of Hays Nursing Facility. Virginia was 92 years-old when called into the Lord's presence this week. Her graveside is this morning at City Cemetery at eleven a.m. Yours truly will be leading that farewell and worship service. Virginia is the mother of Rick Kinsey, one of my neighbors.
Here is our study guide for today:
Friday: 2 Chronicles 22, 23, 24Interpret the personality and character of King Joash with and without the influence of Jehoiada the priest.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Someone once wrote/said that. Someone else latter said, "for someone else." While the saying is used in love relationships, it wasnt' much different in the life of the king Joash. Hidden away to save his life when the Queen wanted to kill all the descendants of David's lineage, and brought to power by Jehoiada the priest, Joash ruled as a perfect man of God as long as Jehoiada was alive. It was easy to live a life of righteousness as long as the one who had taught him such a life was alive and able to share with him godly counsel. Joash did all that God expected and he lived a life that pleased God and blessed the nation.
But upon the death of Jehoiada, the influence of God also died. Joash went his own way, made his own decisions, sadly influenced by evil counsel, and soon the nation and the kingdom was abandoned by God. The nation was sacked by another smaller nation and Joash died in his own bed, finished off by his own servants.
Someone played a key role in your spiritual development. Who was it and where are they now? For most it may have been your parents or at least one of them. For others it may have been your grandmother and her wise counsel. And you can list your own influences. If that influence person is now in the presence of the Lord, have you lived up to what you were taught or do you find yourself doing your own thing? Chances are, your own thing will find you far from God and not blessed by Him. The story of Joash is your story and mine as well. The difference is that we can resolve to live our lives to please God as taught to us by that loved one. And if the loved one is now in Heaven our goal and hope is to one day see that person again in the presence of God. And the best way to realize that goal and hope, in fact, the only way, is to live a life that pleases the Lord and reflects our faith and commitment to what God has taught us.
PRAYER: Loving God, I thank you for the special someone in my life who some time ago, showed me how to live. Help me to stay on that path. If, for some reason, I find myself, far from there, guide me gently back. Help me to live fully in the embrace of Jesus, in Whose Name I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
Please remember in your prayers the family of Virginia Kinsey, a six-year resident of Hays Nursing Facility. Virginia was 92 years-old when called into the Lord's presence this week. Her graveside is this morning at City Cemetery at eleven a.m. Yours truly will be leading that farewell and worship service. Virginia is the mother of Rick Kinsey, one of my neighbors.
Here is our study guide for today:
Friday: 2 Chronicles 22, 23, 24Interpret the personality and character of King Joash with and without the influence of Jehoiada the priest.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Someone once wrote/said that. Someone else latter said, "for someone else." While the saying is used in love relationships, it wasnt' much different in the life of the king Joash. Hidden away to save his life when the Queen wanted to kill all the descendants of David's lineage, and brought to power by Jehoiada the priest, Joash ruled as a perfect man of God as long as Jehoiada was alive. It was easy to live a life of righteousness as long as the one who had taught him such a life was alive and able to share with him godly counsel. Joash did all that God expected and he lived a life that pleased God and blessed the nation.
But upon the death of Jehoiada, the influence of God also died. Joash went his own way, made his own decisions, sadly influenced by evil counsel, and soon the nation and the kingdom was abandoned by God. The nation was sacked by another smaller nation and Joash died in his own bed, finished off by his own servants.
Someone played a key role in your spiritual development. Who was it and where are they now? For most it may have been your parents or at least one of them. For others it may have been your grandmother and her wise counsel. And you can list your own influences. If that influence person is now in the presence of the Lord, have you lived up to what you were taught or do you find yourself doing your own thing? Chances are, your own thing will find you far from God and not blessed by Him. The story of Joash is your story and mine as well. The difference is that we can resolve to live our lives to please God as taught to us by that loved one. And if the loved one is now in Heaven our goal and hope is to one day see that person again in the presence of God. And the best way to realize that goal and hope, in fact, the only way, is to live a life that pleases the Lord and reflects our faith and commitment to what God has taught us.
PRAYER: Loving God, I thank you for the special someone in my life who some time ago, showed me how to live. Help me to stay on that path. If, for some reason, I find myself, far from there, guide me gently back. Help me to live fully in the embrace of Jesus, in Whose Name I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
